The Labor enquirer., 1887-01-08
THE usPLEAsASrNEss.

On0 W WV ttptf ts"f~-N
tered" the courage to oppose feebly the
stand t,ken by Tns ESouIRER on the
recent administration OF Knights OF
Labor affairs. but none Of them have at.
tempted TO refuts its statements aud ar
euments. II Is = noteworthv fact that
the editors who have spoken against the
stand taken by this paper are children
in the labor movement who know moth
ing Of the inner workings Of the general
assembly and have no kno Wedge OF the
personnel Of the general executive
board, except what they have Cleaned
from inflated accounts given In oifcia'
documents and the uttsrances OF enter
prising capitalistic newspapers, On the
other hand scores OF tie old wheel
horses OF the labor movement who oc-
cupy editorial chairs are j'inlng THE
EsquiRgR In ia criticisms OF the gene
ral officers.
This paper has not charged the gene
raj master workman with corruption,
and It has not called him "hard nsmes;"
but II has said he and the executive
board have stepped outside Of the limits
set for them in the laws Of the order,
and that at every such step their acts
have been In conflict with the princi-
pies Of the order snd detrimental 70 the
cause Of labor SO far as Mr.. Powderly
Is concerned TuE ESauiRRR has said In
every issue since this trouble began that
he was Influenced by bad men and by
those whose environments place them
In an antagonstic attitude toward
the labor movement; IL doss not
necessarily follow that he Is traitor
and scoundrel; but II does follow that
he is no longer the man In whose hands
thu destiny Of a million workingmen
and women should be left. care not
how honest man may be or what bis
past services NAV have been. when he
shows by his acts that Influences outside
Of the cause or rings inside. have gain d
acontrol over him. then the time has
come for him to render an account OF
his stewardship and TO step down and
out. And | dare say Mr.. Powderly to.
dav has more respect for the man who
holds 10 this idea than he has for the
automaton who drops HIS spear and
stands daEed In the presence Of weak
ness or a wrong clothed in the mantle
Of authority for brief time. ,he re-
gala OF office covers but weak human
being. but Truth may inhabit the breast
Of even the ragged and tattered.
have but one thing to regret in this
controversy, and that is that 1t has be.
come u matter Of public discussion but
the opponents OF the administration are
wholly blameless for this; they have
been forced, In the interest Of Justice
and Truth to meet the ring upon its
own ground. TIE columns Of the capi-
talist press have been freely used by the
u. ". w. and by the nea with whom,
unfortunately, he has trained since tn Q
Richmond session. to elevate them.
selves to the pinnacle Of greatness aud
10 cry down wing Of the labor move.
meut remembering the trades unions
should say two wings), which II II Is
radical upon social questions. has done
more for the Cause Of Humanity than
all other labor elements combined. /
am proud to say that have for several
years been identified with that progres.
sivu party; and we have, without open
protest, submitted To insults, public aud
private, and misrepresentation from
the heed of the ofder,a man who was
once a strong supporter and exponent
Of our ideas. And, since all the good as
well AZ the bad utterances Of those con.
eerned is being brought forward at this
time, II may not be out Of place to re-
mark that +. V. Powderlv has more
than once expressed to me sentiments
so radicalt that my poor little outburs,s Of
Indignation At the present social order
turned green with envy. d.
Let Mr.. Powderly cut loose from in
huences. inside and outside the order,
aud stand fort h Is Of yore-the fearless
champion OF the laborers' riahts-the
head OF simon'pure democratic organ.
ilalion, aud this paper will tght for him.
Us II has fought In the past, and the
writer will give him again the support
which he Mr.. Powderly) knows was
unexcelled for loyalty and indeiativa.
bl, ness.
But so long Ms he continues, at the
dictaiion OF a ring IN New York and
Philadelphia and Bishop rhis or Father
That to antagonize the honsst efforts Of
labor TO combine under one banner and
the heroic attempts of the workers TO
lessen the hours Of their drudgery or
increase their meager remuneration, 80
long will he b subject to the severest
criticisms Of men who have dedica ed
their lives 10 the uplifting Of the worlds
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